


(If We Knew All Along) Why Did It Take So Long?

by living_like_larry



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Boys In Love, Declarations Of Love, Enemies to Lovers, Jock Harry Styles, M/M, No Smut, Punk Louis Tomlinson, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, no theres no ziam sorry, yes this is stereotypical but I love it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:33:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27123892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/living_like_larry/pseuds/living_like_larry
Summary: "God, why is he always everywhere I go?" Louis asked for what seemed like the millionth time as he looked at the tall, gangly, curly person whose presence personally offended him."I don't know, but I think you should cut him some slack. He just got his soul mark and he is freaking out about who it could belong to." Zayn replied."We all struggle with that. What makes him so special? I've had mine for two years, and you don't see me being an ass about it."******************************************************************************************************or the soulmates AU where Harry and Louis are oblivious and their friends just wish they would wise up and be together.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 99





	(If We Knew All Along) Why Did It Take So Long?

In the beginning of the universe, some fucked up deity decided it would be a good idea to separate people from their soulmates, the people they were meant to be with forever, and give them corresponding marks to help them find each other. Most people found their soulmates in their teens and early twenties. Some unlucky few don’t find their other half until they are older and more established in life. There are also those who never end up finding their soulmate and if that doesn’t scream unfair God to you, well it sure does to Louis Tomlinson. 

On his eighteenth birthday, he got a soulmark. It was a dagger on his forearm. Louis loved it and hoped that he would find his soulmate soon, because he vowed to himself that he would never be with a person that he isn’t bonded to.

At school, Louis is known as a bit of an outlier. He is nice enough, but his outward appearance and habit of smoking and partying tend to turn people away at times. He and his best friend Zayn tend to stick to themselves. Zayn recently met his soulmate Gigi, and she comes around at times too. Louis likes Gigi, but he is definitely vocal about his reservations when it comes to soulmates. He is starting to think he will never find his.

When school is back in session after Winter hols, Louis is dreading facing the couples that inevitably got together over the break. Not only that, he doesn’t want to see the smug face of the curly headed bastard, Harry Styles. 

He didn’t always hate Styles, in fact, for a while he had a crush on him, but when Louis came out as bisexual, things changed between them. What once was friendly acquaintances soon became teasing and annoying instances where the two found themselves in compromising positions. Louis hated the way the boy’s dimpled smirk would make its way onto his face when he saw Louis in the halls, or the inevitable teasing about the size of his bum in the middle of lunch. 

Harry is two years younger than him and recently had his sixteenth birthday. He had been weird for the last week and it threw Louis off. Instead of his typical teasing, he looks away from Louis when he walks down the halls. He has also gotten into the habit of whispering to his friends Niall and Liam like, all the time. It bothers Louis because instead of being upfront with his teasing, he is now being secretive and it rubs Louis the wrong way. 

Harry has also had the habit of turning up at random times outside of school as well. Louis and Zayn were currently at a diner having chips when the trio of boys walked in the door. 

"God, why is he always everywhere I go?" Louis asked for what seemed like the millionth time as he looked at the tall, gangly, curly person whose presence personally offended him. 

"I don't know, but I think you should cut him some slack. He just got his soul mark and he is freaking out about who it could belong to." Zayn replied. 

"We all struggle with that. What makes him so special? I've had mine for two years, and you don't see me being an ass about it."

“Yeah, well that’s because you were bitter for the last two years and its worn off. Styles just got his.”

“Well, I feel sorry for the bastard that gets stuck with him.” Louis said, rolling his eyes while munching on a chip. 

“Yeah, I bet.” Zayn said with a slight chuckle. 

“Ah shit, why are they headed over here?” Louis said in a panic.

The three boys were headed over to their table, Niall and Liam laughing at something that is obviously lost on Harry because the boy is just staring at his feet.

“Hey guys.” Liam says as he pulls up a chair like he fucking owns the place.

“…hey?” Louis said, eyeing the boy like he has three heads.

“So, we wanted to invite you to a party this Saturday.” The Irishman said.

“Uh, okay?” Louis said. He noticed Liam giving Zayn a look that he didn’t recognize. What are those two up to?

“We’ll be there.” Zayn replied. At that, Harry’s head popped up to stare at him and Louis twisted his neck to look at his friend so fast he almost got whiplash.

“We’ll be what?” Louis said in disbelief. Since when do they party with footballers?

“Come on, it’ll be fun.” Zayn assured, punching Louis in the shoulder.

“Well, I guess we’ll see you lads there.” Liam said as they turned around and started to walk off.

As soon as they were out of sight, Louis smacked Zayn on the side of the head. 

“Fuck mate, what was that for?” Zayn exclaimed.

“Why the fuck would you tell them we’re going to be there? I’m not going” Louis said, crossing his arms like a child throwing a tantrum. 

“Yes, you are. We’re going to have fun and get pissed okay?” 

“No, you know I don’t like Styles or really any of the footballers. What makes you think I’m okay with being in a house full of them while they are drunk and extra stupid. Especially with Styles acting weird lately.”

“You’ll be fine. I will be with you the entire time.” Zayn assured, rolling his eyes at his friend’s dramatics.

“Fine, but if I get uncomfortable, I’m leaving your arse there to fend for yourself.”

“Whatever mate, it’ll be fun.” Zayn replied and they went back to their food, abandoning the topic for now.

Saturday came way too fast for Louis’ liking. Now, not only had harry been acting weird, but Zayn had been talking to Liam and Niall more which was completely out of character. 

When Louis was getting ready that night, he put on his tightest black jeans, a white sleeveless shirt, and his signature black leather jacket that he wears like armor. He threw on a pair of black vans and headed over to pick up Zayn in his car. 

“You are going to be the sober one, right? Because I don’t think I can handle tonight without some vodka.” 

“Yeah, sure. I’ll let you let loose and I’ll just smoke tonight.” Zayn assured.

“Thanks, mate.” Louis said as they pulled in front of the Styles home. 

There were cars parked haphazardly up and down the street. Some people were standing outside smoking and drinking with their friends. Louis and Zayn got some weird looks because they typically only went to kickbacks with the other outliers at school. 

As they navigated through the house, dodging the gyrating bodies and kissing couples, they made it into the kitchen.

Zayn spotted Niall and Liam mixing drinks and walked up to them. “Hey lads!”

“Zayn! Louis! So glad you could make it!” The boisterous Irishman proclaimed, clapping Zayn on the back.   
Louis didn’t hear what Zayn said to Liam, but they shared a look and Liam raked is eyes over Louis quickly. “What are you drinking Louis?” 

“Oh, just a vodka soda for me.” He replied.

“Good lad, coming right up.” Niall said as he started making the drink. 

Once Louis got his drink, he made it to another room where people were dancing. He settled into a couch and watched the people around him practically dry hump each other.   
*****************************************************************************  
Once he had his third drink and a couple of shots courtesy of Niall, the Irish really know how drink, he felt his buzz turning into full-blown intoxication. 

He decided he wanted to dance, so he set down his now empty cup, took off his jacket, and made his way to the center of the crowd dancing to an indiscernible song with a lot of bass. He began swinging his hips and feeling he music. He was surrounded by sweaty bodies and let himself get lost within the mass. 

He felt large hands on his hips all of a sudden and turned to see an unfamiliar guy with brown eyes and dark hair staring down at him. The guy was hot, so Louis shrugged and decided to go with it, letting the man grind against his ass. 

He danced with him for a couple of songs before the man decided to attach his lips to Louis’ neck and move his hand to Louis’ front to start rubbing his thighs. Louis started to feel sick from the alcohol and wanted the man to stop touching him. He tried to pull away, but the man wrapped his arm around Louis’ waist and held him tight against his chest. He grinded harder against Louis and he felt like he was gonna vomit. He began to struggle against the man, but he was intoxicated and didn’t have full autonomy of his limbs at the moment.

All of a sudden, the arm was gone and Louis turned around to see the man being held by the collar of his shirt by none other than Harry Styles himself. Styles was obviously angry and yelling at the guy, but Louis couldn’t hear because of the music and people’s voices around them. He turned away from the situation and rushed up the stairs in search of a bathroom.

When Louis finally found an empty bathroom, he locked the door and rushed to the toilet to empty the contents of his stomach. When he was finished, he rinsed out his mouth and used the toothpaste and mouthwash that were on the sink. He looked at himself in the mirror and saw his flustered form staring back at him. 

What the hell just happened? 

As he was gathering up his thoughts, there was a loud, abrupt knock on the door followed by the person on the other side saying, “Louis? Are you in there?” 

Styles? Was that Styles asking for me?

Louis didn’t answer. How could he? This was the guy that has teased him incessantly for years and has never taken Louis seriously. Now, all of a sudden, he is defending Louis’ honor and beating down doors to get to him? No, this is all giving him whiplash.

“Please, Louis. I just want to see if you’re okay.” 

Louis scoffed. “As if you have ever cared if I was okay, Styles.”

“What? Please Louis just let me in.”

“Why? So you can make fun of me for getting pissed and letting a guy feel me up? I know how you feel about my sexuality Styles. I don’t want to hear it.”

“Ugh, no Louis. You don’t even know what you’re talking about. Why do I even try with you?”

That. Now that made Louis’ blood boil. He turned away from the sink to yank the door open despite his better judgement. 

He saw Harry standing there, leaning up against the doorframe with his hands in his pockets. He was in a white button up shirt that was unbuttoned halfway and some black skinnies. Louis would have taken a moment to admire him in his drunk stupor, but he was currently seeing red. 

Harry straightened up quickly and opened his mouth to say something, but Louis quickly cut him off. 

“I don’t know what I’m talking about?! So, the years of teasing I have received from you have been a figment of my imagination? That’s rich coming from you, Styles.” He spit out Harry’s last name as if it left a bad taste in his mouth.

“Teasing? You mean the harmless comments I make sometimes? I thought you were playing along. Thought we were friends.”

“Friends? When have we ever talked besides you making comments about me in passing in the hallways?” Louis questioned. 

“Well, maybe not friends, but I didn’t think you hated me so much.” Harry replied while looking down at his shoes, resembling a kicked puppy. 

Louis sighed. “I don’t hate you I guess, but we’ve never really been friends. So, what’s up with the knight in shining armor act you pulled tonight?” 

“Well, I could see you were uncomfortable and I didn’t like the way he was looking at you or touching you. It made me angry. Also, you were really drunk and I wanted to help.” 

“Well, I could’ve handled it myself.” Louis replied, jutting his chin out in defiance.

It seemed as if Harry’s whole demeanor shifted. “I have no doubt about that.” He replied with a cheeky grin. 

“Well curly, thanks for an eventful night. See you around.” Louis said, walking around Harry, towards the stairs. 

“Wait,” Harry said, grabbing Louis’ forearm, right near his soulmark. Louis felt a rush of tingles spread through his body at the contact. He had never felt that before and it shocked him. He and Harry both stepped away from each other and stared with widened eyes. Louis had heard about this. Supposedly, when you find your soulmate, when you make contact you will feel a surge of energy go through your body. 

Louis saw Harry’s eyes zone in on his soulmark and saw that it was glowing, almost emitting a light source. Louis gasped and was quick to cover it up. He ran away, down the stairs and found Zayn sitting on the couch, talking to Liam.

“We have to go. Now!” He said as he grabbed his jacket and yanked Zayn up by his arm.

“What? What the hell happened!”

“I don’t know, but I can’t be here. I have to go.” Louis said, on the verge of hyperventilating.

“Okay, just calm down. Let me grab the keys.” Zayn said as he headed into the kitchen. 

Louis rushed out the front door and leaned up against his car. He calmed down his breathing and realized he had tears streaming down his face without realizing it. 

Zayn came out and unlocked the car. They hopped in and head to Louis’ house. 

“What the fuck happened in there?” Zayn questioned almost immediately.

“I don’t know. I don’t know” Louis repeated with his head buried in his hands. 

“Well obviously something happened and it upset you. Where were you?”

“I was dancing and this guy got too handsy. All of a sudden, Styles yanked him off of me and threatened him. I went to the bathroom because I felt sick and Styles found me. We yelled at each other a bit, but I think we made up? Then, he grabbed my arm and I felt tingles all over my body. My goddamn dagger was practically glowing.” 

“Shit.”

“Yeah.”

“Did you talk to him at all about it?” 

“No! I ran out of there! Styles can’t be my soulmate! We don’t even like each other.”

Zayn chuckle and shook his head.

“What?” Louis questioned. 

“You’re just so oblivious mate.” 

“How so?”

“Nothing, I bet you will figure it out soon.”

When they pulled up to Louis’ house, they went inside and passed out almost immediately. Louis absolutely did not dream about Harry’ curly hair or that damn dimple in his left cheek. Absolutely not.

The next morning, Louis woke up with a slight hangover, but nothing he couldn’t handle. He rolled over and smacked Zayn on the face to wake him up.

He was dreading going to school, but he figured it would be worse to just not show up at all. 

Once he and Zayn left the house, Louis felt cold all over. How was he supposed to face Harry? Oh god, he had probably told every one of his friends about how Tomlinson half bonded to him.

As they were walking in the front doors, Louis immediately spotted Harry at his locker and kept his head down, hoping he wouldn’t see him. Of course the effort was futile, because Harry could always pick Louis out of a crowd. 

“Louis!” he heard in that signature drawl. 

“Oh god.” Louis muttered under his breath and attempted to walk away faster. Harry’s long legs caught up to him quickly and he grabbed louis’ shoulder to stop him. Louis turned around quickly and showed Harry’s arm off of him as if he had been burned.

“What the hell do you want Styles? Did you come to make fun of me? To rub it in my face that I bonded to you?”

Harry’s mouth fell open in shock. “What? No, I just wanted to talk to you about last night.” He sounded genuinely hurt and Louis felt a pang of regret in his chest. I guess that’s what comes with this whole soulmate business.

“Well, out with it then. Go ahead and tell me that you deny the bond and move on with your life.” Louis crossed his arms over his chest.

Harry still had that stupid, shocked facial expression before it turned into something different, something darker. He grabbed Louis’ arm and dragged him into a room to their left. 

“Hey! What do you think you’re do-“ Louis was cut off by a pair of soft, slightly chapped lips enveloping his. He immediately sighed at the feeling and wrapped his arms around Harry’s neck.

He felt a pair of strong arms wind their way around his back and pull him flush against a broad, strong chest. He groaned when he felt Harry run his tongue along the seam of his lips and opened up to let himself be devoured. Harry kissed hungrily and you could feel the desire coming off the two of them in waves. Harry backed Louis up against the nearest wall and slotted their hips together. Louis came up for breath and Harry move to kiss and nip at his jawline. Louis groaned when Harry moved his hips slightly, causing their groins to receive delicious friction. 

This made Louis come to his senses as he pushed Harry off of him. They were both breathing hard and Harry was looking straight through him. “What the hell?” Louis exclaimed.

Harry had a confused look in his eye, but said nothing. 

“You can’t just drag people into closets and snog the life out of them with no explanation.” Louis reasoned.

“You weren’t giving me the chance to speak or explain myself. I had to shut you up somehow.” Harry shrugged.

Louis scoffed an rolled his eyes. “And I suppose you couldn’t just tell me to shut up, right?”

Harry smirked, “Wouldn’t have been as much fun.”

Louis blushed and looked at the ground before he realized the situation he is in. 

“You can’t do this to me.” He said softy.

Harry’s smug expression crumpled. “Do what?”

“Lead me on, make me believe that you want me when I’m half bonded.”

“Half bonded? What are you talking about?” 

“My mark glowed when you touched it, but nothing happened to you. I don’t want to be with someone whose soulmate isn’t me.”

Harry scoffed and started taking off his shirt. Louis’ eyes widened because, what the hell is he doing? Once his shirt is off, Louis let his eyes roam Harry’s body in all of its glory. He looked into Harry’s eyes and saw him already looking back at him.   
He reached for Louis’ hand and brought it to his arm, right over a tattoo of a rose. Once Louis’ hand brushed the skin, he felt a shiver and saw Harry’s body react similarly. The rose began to glow slightly and let off a warm feeling that enveloped the two of them. 

Louis’ eyes began tearing up and he shook his head in disbelief as he backed away. “But you hate me.”

Harry rushed forward and gathered his face in his hands. He looked straight into Louis’ eyes and said the words he had been waiting to hear but hadn’t realized it, “I could never hate you. I never have. Please don’t say that baby. I have wanted you for years. All those times I teased you, it wasn’t because I didn’t like you, I just didn’t know how else to get your attention. You’re beautiful and I want to be with you.” He said before brushing his lips against Louis’ softly.

Louis let out a watery chuckle before kissing Harry fully.

“You don’t know how long I have waited for you to say those words. I have tried to convince myself for years that I didn’t like you because I thought you hated me. I have always loved you.”

Harry gasped, the revelation of Louis’ love almost making his knees give out. He connected their lips in a bruising kiss, all lips and teeth. Both of them smiling throughout. “I’m so sorry I ever made you feel that way, baby. It was not my intention to ever hurt you.”

“I know darling, I know that now.” Louis replied, and he really did know.

Harry kissed him again, slowly this time. When he pulled back, he kept his eyes closed as if he would wake up if he opened them. “I love you too.”

Louis felt more tears stream down his face as he went in for another earth-shattering kiss. 

The two boys stayed in the closet for a few more minutes, kissing and whispering sweet nothings in each other’s ears. Once they were done, they opened the door only to knock three bodies over in the process.

Shocked, the boys peaked out into the hallway and saw Niall, Liam, and Zayn laying on the floor in a guilty pile. 

“Ahh, so you fuckers were eavesdropping huh?” Louis laughed.

Harry stood behind him with his arm around his waist and his chin resting on Louis’ shoulder.

Niall shot up from his position on the floor. “Well, we had to listen in and see if you two oblivious fackers were makin’ up or not.” 

“Yeah,” Zayn said. “We’ve been waiting for you two to get together for years and after last night, we wanted to make sure it was happening.”

Harry and Louis looked at Liam, waiting for his explanation.

“Don’t look at me! They forced me!” He exclaimed with both of his hands up in surrender.

Louis and Harry laughed and looked at each other fondly. They both shrugged and figured their friends had a point.

The three friends went off to class while Louis and Harry decided to skip class for the rest of the day. They definitely had some catching up to do.


End file.
